If I had known how good the foods are, I would come here more often

Question

Hi,I was wondering if I can say something like "If I had known how good the foods here are, I would have come here more often" I am wondering because I used "are" to describe the foods as the foods are still delicious. Is this against the rule of keeping all verbs in a sentence past tense? or you can mix present and past tense in a sentence?Also, why is it that we say " I would HAVE COME here more often" but not "I would COME here more often" in the example sentence above? explanations and examples are appreciated! Thanks!

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

Khai TranIf I had known how good the foods here are

You can mix tenses like this, yes. A curiosity of the English language, however, is that even if you are consistent in your use of tenses in this sort of structure (If I had known how good the foods here were), the meaning is the same. You do not have to use the present in this situation to indicate your view that the foods are still delicious. This will be understood whether you use the present or the past. The only way to indicate that the fools are not still delicious is to say ... how good the foods used to be.
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That said, note that you should be using 'food', singular, in this sentence.

If I had known how good the food here is/was, I would have come here more often.

The other anomaly is that your sentence implies that you had gone there and tasted the food and even so, you did not know how good the food was there.

I am ignoring this implication and concentrating only on the grammar in responding to your question.

Khai Tranwhy is it that we say " I would HAVE COME here more often" but not "I would COME here more often" in the example sentence above?

I would have come here implies that you didn't come here in the past. I would come here implies that you may come here in the future. If I had known is about not knowing in the past, so it goes more logically with I would have come here.

CJ

Khai Tran · Answer

From your experience, what is the more common method being used by others? Is it "is" or "was"?

Also, why should I use "food" in singular in this sentence? Thanks!

CalifJim · Answer

Khai TranFrom your experience, what is the more common method being used by others? Is it "is" or "was"?

'was'.

Khai Tranwhy should I use "food" in singular in this sentence?

'food' is almost always uncountable. The plural that you probably want, if you want a plural, is 'dishes'. (This is not 'dish' in the physical sense of a plate to hold food, but 'dish' in the sense of a particular combination of ingredients.)

CJ

If I had known how good the foods are, I would come here more often

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